porters of the conftitution.-Disorders, at Amfterdam. The army continues attached to the prince.The faction becomes defperate.-Arrest of the princess on her way to the Hague. She is compelled to return.-On this infult the king of Pruffia changes his tone.-He demands fatisfaction of the States of Holland-which is not granted.-He determines on force.-The revolutionifts rely on France. The duke of Brunswick enters the United Provinces at the › head of an army.—The revolutionists apply to France for aid. Conduct of Britain. The king of France intimates an intention of affifting the States of Holland-Our king declares he will forcibly oppofe fuch interference, and prepares an armament.-France relinquishes her defign, and the duke of Brunswick is completely victorious.-Refloration of the Stadtholder.-Great and unanimous praises of the British cabinet.

XXXVIIL

1787. Affairs of

THE most important events of the fummer re. CHAP garded the United Provinces. Their unfortunate war with Britain, and its ruinous confequences, had shaken the republic to its foundation, Holland. occafioned a departure from many of its ancient maxims and principles; and not only strengthened the old party which was friendly to France, but made way for the rise of a new faction, much more dangerous and destructive. The known averfeness of the ftadtholder to connection with the house of Bourbon and the American colonies, his near relation and believed attachment to the British sovereign, afforded grounds for fufpicion, that he could not engage very heartily in a cause fo directly oppofite to opinions in which he had been nurtured. The disgraceful and ruinous confequences of the Ruinous war, the immenfe loffes fuftained by the capture of the war St. Eustatius, with other fevere blows, as well on the with Bri

feas

effects of

Cain.

1787.

CHAP. feas as in both the Indies, which the republic had XXXVIII. received during that ill fought and unfortunate conflict, not only disappointed the views of the fupporters of the French intereft, but produced great difcontent among many other individuals, who did not originally belong to that party; and they imputed to the backwardness of the ftadtholder, loffes which proceeded from their own folly in courting a war with England. They commenced hoftilities unwifely and unjustly, when they had fo much valuable merchandize, either on fea or in their factories, exposed to an enemy, who, notwithstanding every oppofition, ftill retained the command of the ocean; and were enraged that the ftadtholder did not perform impoflibilities, by faving them from the conComplaints fequences of their iniquitous impolicy. The charges tadtholder. against the stadtholder were chiefly general: it was faid, that he had not exerted the force with which he was entrusted by the ftate, in that manner, or with that energy which he might have employed, and which would have been most effectual for counteracting the defigns and fruftrating the efforts of the enemy. On these points, the prince in vain repeatedly challenged his adverfaries to the inquiry and proof; but, aware of the futility of their charges, they did not wifh for inveftigation. One inaction of specific object of examination was, why the Dutch fleet did not proceed to Breft, according to compact, in the year 1782, that the whole combined naval force of the house of Bourbon and Holland might have defcended at once on the coafts of Bri

against the

Charge con

cern ng the

the fleet.

criminal neglect, if not treachery; and a committee

was

XXXVIII

was speedily appointed to inquire into the caufes: CHAP the refult was, no difcovery was made, tending in the smallest degree to affect the ftadtholder."

At the termination of the American war, no ideas of democratic liberty, or of the admiffion of the whole people into a fhare of the government, appear to have been entertained by the party in oppofition to the ftadtholder: their defign was to ftrengthen the aristocracies, and to place the government in the hands of an oligarchy, compofed of their own principal leaders, who would likewife be felf-elected and perpetual; and who, not subject to the jealousy attendant on the fway of a fingle perfon, in the nature of things would foon affume a decifive authority, which had never been poffeffed by the ftadtholderate. The conteft with the emperor afforded a pretext for a measure, which the ariftocratic faction intended for ftrengthening their power, but eventually produced the total diffolution of their authority; this was, the bestowal of arms on the multitude: the people finding arms in their hands, began at once to feel their own importance; they awakened, as it were, from a dead fleep, and wondered why they held no fhare in that government which they were called upon to defend or fupport, and which it was evident without them could have no permanent fecurity. The examples of Ireland and America were fresh before them; the very term of volunteers, which they affumed, contributed to ftamp the character of the part they were to act. The democratic fpirit being thus fuddenly brought to life, felt the poffeffion of its faculties, and difplayed all the vigour, and, per

haps,

17871

Objects of cratic parry the war.

the arifto

at the end

of

They put the hands

arms into

of the mui

situde.

Effects of

this mea

fue."

XXXVIII.

1787.

CHAP. haps, even the wantonnefs of youth. The armed burghers had been defigned as a counterpoize to the army, which was known to be generally attached to the ftadtholder; and it was fondly expected, that when they had performed the service, they would have filently funk into their former infignificance; but, without waiting for that iffue, they began to account themselves conftituent members of the commonwealth, and demanded to be admitted to a share in the legislation and government of their respective cities, by electing delegates, who were to be received as their legal representatives in the public affemblies, and thus form a popular counterpoize to the aristocratic power.. When these sentiments were avowed, nothing could exceed the surprise and confternation which they excited. The principal leaders of the faction were difconcerted and alarmed; they had improvidently raised a dangerous fpirit, and brought a new power into action, without a due confideration of the force and eccentricity of its movements; and these were evidently beyond their control or management. This new body they faw would prove equally inimical to the aristocratical, as to the ftadtholderian authority; but afraid, if they should then oppose the pretenfions of the democratical party, that a powerful body would go over to the Orange adherents, and both united put an end to the fway of the nobles, they temporifed, and appeared to coincide with the plebeian combination.

Beginning

of a demo

cratic party.

Both the ariftocratic

This union of two parties, of adverfe interefts, but concurring in defire to humiliate the ties agree in ftadtholder, was very formidable to that prince and

and demo

cratic par

hoftility to

the house of

Orange.

XXXVIII.

1787.

which they

over the

rian party.

his friends. The States of Holland and Weft CHA P. Friezeland were the great and conftant impugners of the stadtholder's authority and prerogatives. They affumed a fuperiority which was not admitted by the conftitution of the union, and was derived only from the circumftance of Holland poffeffing a greater fhare of wealth, and a larger extent of territory, than any of the others. The moft bitter animofity which appeared against the prince, feemed to be peculiarly lodged in that province; and the city of Amfterdam took the lead of all other places in the invariable display of enmity. The adverfe Advantages faction had many and great advantages over the poffeffed Orange party in this conteft: for several years stadtholde they pursued one common object, to which all their measures were directed'; thence they were closely united while their antagonists having no purpose to attain, which might serve to combine their zeal or excite their enterprize, were loofe, careless, and unconnected. The oppofite party They are had likewife the important advantage of being by the mofavoured by the monied men; they were, befides, and fectaquickened by the ardour, and kept in conftant exercise by the indefatigable zeal and reftlefs spirit*, which is always obfervable in fectaries; and though the measure of arming the volunteers had been productive of much trouble and diforder among themselves, yet it afforded them at least the benefit of a formidable appearance.

fupported

nied men,

ries.

ftances fa

To balance these unfavourable circumftances, Circumthe prince was not without confiderable means, vourable to both internal and external: as captain-general and the prince.

VOL. IV.

* Annual Regifter, 1786.
0

admiral